Behind the mask

Chapter 2

The next day Emily was nervous about entering her class, getting to meet new people and friends. 

"Wait" she said as Amber was about opening the door.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just nervous"

"C'mon, it's not big deal." Amber was the head girl so it was part of her duty to introduce Emily to the class.

"What's up guys" Georgia walked up to them. "What are you guys up to?"

"Emily is nervous about entering the class." Amber explained. 

"There's no big deal about it.  It's just for you to walk in. You're cool." Georgia cheered her.

"Okay. I'll just walk in and go straight to my seat. Right?" Emily asked.

Amber and Georgia glanced at each other and looked at her. "Right." They said in unison. 

Slowly, she walked to the door and opened it. Amber and Georgia followed. Everyone didnt look friendly. They were all frowning. Emily was so scared. They were all looking at her strangely. Gosh, what a class. It was far different from what Amber and Georgia told her about. She walked slowly to her seat and she could hear whispers "Is she the new girl?" "She looks stupid" " What sort of a person is this?" "She so sluggish." 

As she was about to sit someone pulled out her chair and she fell on the floor. Everyone started laughing including Amber and Georgia. 

"Emily" Amber and Georgia shouted out of frustration. "We've been waiting. Walk in already." Georgia said.

"What? Oh"  Emily snapped out of her thought. Gosh, what a weird thought. It was just an imagination. She stood right in front of the door. "Um, Amber, please can you walk in first? I'll go in right after you" 

Amber sighed, opened the door and they walked in. The class looked lively, some were talking, reading, walking about, playing. It looked fun. Emily walked in feeling very shy.

"Hi everyone. Good morning." Amber said. Georgia also greeted and some replied to their greetings while the others did not acknowledge them.

"Who's the hot chick you've got there?" A guy asked.

"This is Emily." Amber said.

"The new girl." Georgia put in.

Emily had a shy and cute smile on her face. 

"Hi" " Hey." "You're welcome." "You're welcome to our school. " Some welcomed her.

"Thank you" she whispered. 

Then a guy turned to look at what was going on "Shit." He cursed. "That's the girl I saw" he said to himself. It was Jack.

The trio walked to their seats and sat. They had their seats next to hers. Amber by her left, Georgia by her right and guess whose at her back. Jack.

He didn't know what to say ' Could I say sorry or hi or please last night do you remember... no. No. No.' He thought. 

A lot of people walked up to Emily and welcomed her. She was beginning to feel comfortable in her new class.

"Hey, you're welcome to our class." She heard a voice from the back. She recognised that voice. She recognised that figure. She held her breathe as looked back.

"Hi John." She said trying to beat down the wide grin on her face but no she couldn't. She was grinning from ear to ear. 'He's so cute' she thought. He was her new crush. He was standing in front of Jack's table.

"Don't worry. You'll get along soon."

"Okay"

"So this is my table" he said pointing to the table right next to Jack's and right behind Amber's seat. 

'Nice spot. He could stare at me anytime. He could always stare at my profile, my hair. Perfect point of view.'She said within herself.

"Alright."

"I know you already have friends but if you need someone to talk to I'm one table away."

'Of course.'

"Alright." She giggled. 

"Yeah. Later." He said and went to his seat. Then, her eyes fell on Jack. They just kept staring at each other saying nothing. It was awkward moment for them. Jack did not know how to approach her or what to say. Emily could feel eyes fixed on them as the class grew silent watching them. She felt embarrassed. She could feel her cheeks heat up. Jack already got the message 'say something' but he didn't know what to say. Emily smiled and just as she was about to say hi Jack said

"Um, you have a little dirt on your eyelashes."

"Yeah. So face your front." Another guy put in harshly.

Immediately, the smile on Emily's face dropped and everyone started giggling. How rude. She slowly turned to the front. The guy who talked was one of Jack's friend. Jack didn't like to talk much so most of his friend's would help him out. He was just one of those who would wag their tails and follow him everywhere cause he was a cool guy.

                                                                ~

During leisure time, Emily laid on her bed reading a book when Georgia and Amber entered the room. 

"Hi girl." Georgia greeted.

"Hey guys" 

"What's up?" Amber said. 

"I'm cool. What have you guys been up to?"

"Well" Amber said. "We um. We want to apologise for last night. For making you walk naked to the other room . You um...." she started giggling. 

"What?" Emily started giggling too.

"This is the thing." Georgia said sternly. "You can only walk naked in the room. It was wrong for you to walk around the block naked. And we're sorry."

"What? So you guys made me do that?" Emily stopped laughing.

"We're sorry. So that's was why we went to the gift shop to get you this." Amber said and handed her a bag. She took it from her and brought out a white teddy bear from it.

"I really don't know what so say but thank you for the gift." 

"So have you forgiven us?" Amber asked.

"Yeah. Whatever."

"Thanks" they said.

"So how was your first day in class." Amber asked.

"It was cool. Except for the incident that happened in the morning."

"C'mon it's not that bad." Georgia said. 

"But everyone was laughing at me."

"Yeah. Josh was rude but you should get used to it. They like doing things like that just to on Jack's good side." Amber said. 

"Whatever their names are. Josh and Jack or whatever, I don't like both of them. Especially Jack. Who does he think he is? Some sort of king or something."

"You mean you don't like that one guy the whole girls in crescent high got their eyes on?" Amber said.

"Yeah. I know he's handsome and he has dreamy eyes but I prefer John."

"Oooo John!!!" Amber and Georgia chorused winking at Emily.

"John is number 2" Amber said. 

"Wait, you guys rate handsome boys in this school?"

"Not us. Just some other girls. You know. But you know, it's obvious that they're handsome guys and pretty girls get rated too."

"And you guys get interested in rating handsome boys."

"Well...." Amber and Georgia chorused and they started laughing. "We're girls, anyway." Georgia said. 

Emily was amazed.

                                                                                                ~

Jack was playing basketball during his leisure time.  It was a way of calming his nerves. At the end of the game, Greg walked up to him.

"Hey champ." He said as they shook hands. "Nice job."

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Kudos for last night."

"Yeah."

"You sure you don't know the girl you saw last night?"

"100%"

"Or was is that new girl?"

"No it wasn't her."

"That reminds me of how Josh made that new girl feel bad this morning."

"Yeah. I wanted to apologise to her after class today but I was nervous."

"So cool guys get nervous too." Greg teased.

"C'mon" Jack said as he bounced the ball in his hand  on the ground and caught it. He was tensed.

"Do you like her?"

Jack turned his head to look at him eye to eye. "I love her." 

"C'mon guy. Love at first sight?"

Jack did not reply. He was just staring at nothing. 

"Okay. Fine. Why don't you just go to her hand have a little chat with her. You know, get to know her better and get close to her. You could win her heart. You're like the coolest guy. You can do it."